Apparatus for selectively cutting and conveying sheet material

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for cutting rectangular areas of any predetermined size and width from a larger piece of sheet material including a transverse cutting head, a plurality of longitudinal cutting heads, each cutting head being selectively movable into and out of cutting position, drive means for traversing the transverse cutting means across the width of the sheet material, a latching mechanism for positively locating the transverse cutting means at one of a plurality of predetermined locations across the material width, and an interlock cooperating between the transverse and longitudinal cutting means to rest the movement of the transverse cutting means at at least one selected position relative to the longitudinal cutting means.

United States Patent Brockbank et al. [4 1 Apr. 25, 1972 [54] APPARATUSFOR SELECTIVELY 3,200,688 8/1965 Feeney et al ..83/466 x CUTTING ANDCONVEYING SHEET 3,224,307 12/1965 MATERIAL 3,296,911 1/1967 3,522,8258/1970 Wehner ..83/47 x Inventors: Peter A. Brockbank, 50 LakesideAvenue, Bolton, Lancashire; Keith B. Spencer, 48 Fairfield Gardens,Stockton Heath, Cheshire; Reginald Ian Greaves, 95 Briony Avenue, Hale,Cheshire, all of England Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost Att0rneyWilliamJ. Daniel 57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for cutting rectangular areas of anypredetermined size and width from a larger piece ofsheet materialincluding a transverse cutting head, a plurality of longitudinal cuttingheads, each cutting head being selectively movable into and out ofcutting position, drive means t or traversing the transverse cuttingmeans across the width of the sheet material, a latching mechanism forpositively locating the transverse cutting means at one ofa plurality ofpredetermined locations across the material width, and an interlockcooperating between the transverse and longitudinal cutting means torest the movement of the transverse cutting means at at least oneselected position relative to the longitudinal cutting means.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATQNTED APR I973 SHEET 3' OF 8 INVENTOR:

PATENTEDAPR 2 5 I972 SHEET u BF 8 INVENTOR:

PATENTEBAPR 25 I972 3,657,. 952

SnEEY 6 BF 8 kav PATTENTEBAPR 25 I972 SHEET 7 [1F 8 APPARATUS FORSELECTIVELY CUTTING AND CONVEYING SHEET MATERIAL This invention relatesto apparatus for selectively cutting and conveying sheet material andparticularly though not exclusively to such apparatus for use in amachine for dispatching predetermined lengths of material in the form ofpaper-wrapped rolls ready for delivery to a purchaser. Said machineconsists basically of a feed table for delivering a supply of sheetmaterial to a cutting station, a measuring device adapted to arrest thematerial feed when a required length has been delivered, a cutter in thecutting station for cutting off said required length, a conveyor forconveying said cut piece to a rolling station where it is rolled byperipheral contact with a plurality of rollers, and a paper wrapperdelivering device adapted to cut a measured piece of wrapper from asupply roll thereof and to deliver said wrapper to the rolling stationwhere it is wrapped around the rolled length of material.

The object of the present invention is to provide, for use in a machineof the kind referred to, apparatus for selectively cutting and conveyingsheet material so that pieces thereof having predetermined length andwidth can be cut from a supply roll of standard width and can then beconveyed, rolled and wrapped by the machine.

According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus forselectively cutting and conveying sheet material comprising conveyingmeans; a first cutter for cutting said material in one direction; asecond cutter for cutting said material in a direction normal to that ofsaid first cutter; and means for separately and selectively moving saidcutters into and out of cutting engagement with said material; such thatthe cuts made respectively in said material by said cutters can bearranged to coincide to produce a cut piece of material of predetermineddimensions taken from within the area defined by the edges ofan uncutpiece of material supplied to the apparatus.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B and IC together comprise a side elevation ofa machine ofthe kind referred to including in FIG. 13, said apparatus ofthe kindreferred to;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged part sectional view of said apparatus, taken online lI-Il of FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 is a part-sectional plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 2, partshaving been omitted for the sake ofclarity;

FIG. 4 is a view taken on line lV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view taken on line V--V of FIG. 2, showing part only oftheapparatus shown in that figure; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

A machine of the kind referred to includes a feed table 10 having adriven conveyor belt 11 adapted to deliver a supply roll 12 of, forexample, carpet onto a driven cradle 13 adapted to unroll the carpetonto a first conveyor table 14. The table 14 terminates at a cuttingstation generally indicated at 15, of which a detailed description willfollow, on the other side of which is a second conveyor table 16 havinga photo-electric measuring device 17 which is adjustable in positionalong the table 16 on a rail 18. The conveyor table 16 passes beneath apaper wrapper delivering device generally indicated at 19 which isadapted to deliver a measured and cut length of paper wrapper down aninclined platform 19a to a rolling station 20 where a cut length ofcarpet coming from the cutting station is rolled by the nip between fourfriction rollers 21 prior to being wrapped by the paper wrapper.

The operation of the whole machine is carried out from a control consoleand parts of said operation are effected automatically by photo-electricsensing devices located at various positions on the machine.

The machine is arranged, with the particular use of the cutting station15 to be described, to measure, cut, convey, roll and wrap pieces ofcarpet of preselected length and width according to customersrequirements in a rapid and accurate manner, thus saving the time andeffort needed to carry out such operations manually.

The cutting station 15, the parts of which are shown more clearly inFIGS. 2 to 6, includes a pair of beams 30, 31 extending across themachine at a position above and between the two conveyor tables 14 and16.

The beam 30 has fixed rails 32 on which run rollers 33 supporting aframework 34. The framework 34 carries a motor 35 which, through belts36, drives a circular cutter blade 37. The blade 37 is arranged to pivotabout a shaft 38 by means of a pneumatic cylinder 39 and is thusarranged to be moved into or out of an operative position in which, asshown in FIG. 2, it is arranged to cut the carpet S transversely. Theframework 34 is arranged to travel across the machine by means of achain 40 (see FIG. 4) to which the framework is attached. The chain 40passes round sprockets 41 driven by a motor 42 and connected thereto bya belt 43. The framework 34 and the components supported thereby willhereinafter be referred to as the cross-cut head.

The beam 31 has a fixed rail 44 on which run rollers 45 supporting aframework 46. The framework 46 carries a motor 47 which, through belts48 and a pivoting drive pulley assembly 49, drives a circular cutterblade 50. The latter is so mounted on the framework that, by operationof a pneumatic cylinder 51, the blade 50 can be linearly moved. into orretracted from an operative position. In FIG. 2, the blade 50 is shownretracted and as can be seen from that figure, the blade 50 is arrangedto cut carpet along its length, i.e. normal to the cutting action of theblade 37.

The assembly comprising the blade 50 and its associated parts ispivotally mounted at 50a on the framework 46 and is adjustable about thepoint 50a by means ofa bolt and lock nut arrangement 51a. Thus thecorrect cutting location for the blade 50in its operative position canbe pre-set.

The framework 46 carries a handle 52 for moving it along the rails 44,i.e. across the machine, and a spring-loaded plunger having a releasehandle 53 is adapted to engage one of a number of location apertures 55spaced apart around the peripheral region ofa disc 54 (see FIG. 3). Thedisc 54 has attached thereto a pinion 54a which meshes with a rack 44amounted on the beam 31 so that as the framework 46 is moved along thebeam 31 the disc 54 is caused to rotate. It can be seen therefore thatthe available stopping positions of the framework 46 along the beam 31are determined by the angular spacing of the apertures 55 around thedisc 54. A pneumatic cylinder 56 is also provided whose ram carries apressure pad 56a adapted to clamp down onto the upper surface of thebeam 31 and positively lock the framework 46 in a selected position. Theframework 46 and the components supported thereby will hereinafter bereferred to as a slitting head.

Any number of slitting heads may be mounted on the beam 31 (two areshown in FIG. 4).

A plunger 57 controlled by a pneumatic cylinder 58, is provided on eachslitting head, and a locking member 59 having inclined ramps 59a andrecesses 59b is provided on the crosscut head (see FIG. 3). With theplunger 57 advanced by the action of the cylinder 58 to the positionshown in chain dotted lines in FIG. 3 then when one of the ramps 590contacts the end of the plunger during movement of the cross-cut head,the plunger will be caused to rise up the ramp and become engaged in theadjacent recess 5%. This action, as will be described, serves to arrestthe cross-cut head in a selected position relative to that of theslitting head.

A cutting table 60 is provided between the conveyor tables 14 and 16 andhas a slot 61 extending transversely with respect to the machine toaccommodate the cross-cut blade 37 in use, together with a plurality ofother slots (not shown) extending normal to the slot 61 andcorresponding with the location apertures 55 thus to accommodate theslitting blade or blades 50in use.

Mounted upstream, i.e. to the left with respect to FIG. 2, of thecross-cut head is a first clamp 62 operated by a pneumatic cylinder 63and adapted to clamp the carpet S against movement as will be described.Mounted downstream of the crosscut head is a second clamp 64 operated bya pneumatic cylinder 63a. Again this clamp is adapted to retain thecarpet S on the table 60.

Downstream of cross-cut and slitting heads is a variable clamparrangement 65 which bridges the second conveyor table 16. The variableclamp 65 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) comprises a frame 66 from which issuspended, by the rams 67 of two pneumatic cylinders 68, a beam 69. Ateach end of the beam 69 is rotatably mounted a chain sprocket 70, 71carrying a continuous chain 72. The chain 72 is arranged to be driven bymeans of, for example, a hand wheel 73 attached, via a belt 74, to thesprocket 70. Attached to the chain 72 over, for example, half of itslength are a plurality of closely adjacent blocks 75, of, for example,aluminium. As can be seen from FIG. 5, the blocks 75 can be arranged toextend across the whole or part of the conveyor table 16 by rotation ofthe handwheel 73. The table 16 consists of a plurality of parallelspaced apart conveyor belts C arranged to travel over a stationarytable. In the region of the variable clamp 65, the table is raised inthe spaces between the belts C as indicated in FIG. 5.

The chain 72 is supported on its upper run on a platform 76, and on itslower run it is prevented from sagging by virtue of flanged chain links77 to which the blocks 75 are attached and which run along flanges 78extending along the base of the beam 69.

The whole beam 69 can be lowered by the cylinders 68 so that the blocks75, as far as they are set to extend across the table 16, rest on theraised part of the latter to clamp and retain that part of the carpettrapped by the blocks 75.

in use, with the variable clamp 65 and the fixed clamps 62 and 64 raisedand with the cross-cut blade 37 pivoted away from the table 60, carpet Sis fed along the second conveyor in the direction of the arrow X (seeFIG. 2) with any or all of the slitting heads operating to cut thecarpet longitudinally at preselected positions across its width untilsuch time as the preset measuring device 17 senses the leading edge. Theconveyors l4 and 16 are thus stopped and all slitting blades 50 areretracted. Simultaneously, the first and second clamps 62 and 64 arelowered onto the carpet and the crosscut blade 37 can then be pivotedinto its operative position to cut the carpet transversely over any partof its width as required. The crosscut head is arranged to traverse thecarpet from any selected starting position and may be required tocontinue its cutting operation until it reaches an edge of the carpet.Alternatively the cut being performed may be required to extend only asfar as that previously performed by, say, the next adjacent slittinghead blade. In this case, the cross-cut head continues to travel untilit contacts a micro-switch on said next adjacent slitting head,whereupon the motor 42 will be caused to stop. The inertia of the headcauses it to continue moving until it is physically stopped due to theplunger 57 on the slitting head entering the nearest recess 5% on themember 59. The two recesses 59b are provided so that, regardless of thedirection of travel of the cross-cut head, the latter will always locateitself correctly relative to said slitting head. The plunger 57 must beretracted before the motor 42 is re-started.

Clearly, if the cross-cut head is required to travel beyond the nextadjacent slitting head the micro-switch on that head would bede-energised by the machine operator.

It will be seen that the points at which any of the slitting blades cancut the carpet lie in a straight line which is arranged to coincide witha line along which the cross-cut blade is arranged to travel so that thecuts performed respectively by the slitting head or heads and thecross-cut head can be arranged, if required, to coincide, and by virtueof the interlocking ofthe two heads by means ofthe plunger 57 and themember 59, any overshoot" ofthe cuts can be avoided.

Thus one or more pieces of carpet can be completely cut and the variableclamp is then adjusted and lowered so that, for example, one or more cutpieces can be held by the blocks 75, whilst the other cut piece orpieces are conveyed preferably one at a time to the rolling station 20to be rolled and wrapped ready for despatching according torequirements. Subsequently the variable clamp 65 and the fixed clamps 62and 64 are raised, the slitting blade or blades can be lowered intoposition and the carpet once again conveyed forwardly until anotherdesired length on the same or a different part of the carpet has beenslitted, whereupon the cross-cut blade is once again rendered operativeto cut off the desired length.

Thus, with the apparatus according to the invention, it is possible toobtain from a carpet supply roll, a number of pieces of carpet of anylength (less than the total length of the roll) and of any one ofanumber of standard widths which can be selected in accordance with thefixed location points available for the slitting heads. Furthermorepieces of carpet of any shape can be cut off from within the areadefined by the edges of an uncut piece of carpet fed to the apparatus,provided that that shape can be defined by right angled corners andstraight sides. It is to be understood that the shaped piece of carpetactually required can be the cut piece or alternatively the remainingpart of the supply material. In this manner, a carpet for a particularroom can be produced having, for example, cut-outs for fireplaces, etc.Also each piece cut can be separately conveyed, rolled and wrapped.

Any remaining parts of the supply roll can be rewound by reversing theaction of the cradle 13, lifting a platform (see FIG. 1) and causing there-wound roll to be tipped into a chute 101. The platform 100 is thenlowered once again and a new supply roll can be located on the cradle13.

It should be appreciated that any of the operation of the apparatusheretofore described and/or the operation of the machine as a whole canbe automated and programmed to produce cut pieces of carpet or othermaterial according to customers requirements, without the necessity formanual pre-setting of the various adjustable and moving parts. Any ofthe known forms of programme medium could be used such as punched ormagnetic tape fed to a computer.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for conveying sheet material and for cutting rectangularareas of predetermined width and length from said material comprising:

a. conveying means (14,16) for said sheet material,

b. a cross-cut head having a traversing cross-cutting means (37) forcutting across the sheet material,

c. at least two slitting heads having longitudinal cutting means (50)for cutting along the sheet material,

d. powered means (39,51) for separately and selectively moving saidcutting means into and out of cutting engagement with said material,

e. powered means (44) for driving said cross-cut head across the sheetmaterial, means (53,54,55) for positively locating said slitting headsat predetermined locations across the sheet, and

g. cooperating detent means on said cross-cut head and said slittingheads operable to arrest'the movement of said cross-cut head at at leastone selected position relative to said slitting heads.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim I wherein said detent means comprises aretractable plunger on the slitting head and at least one recess on thecross-cut head for engaging the projected plunger.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said detent means has tworecesses disposed side by side and an inclined ramp leading up to bothrecesses whereby said heads can be correctly positioned relative to eachother regardless of the direction of travel of said cross-cut head.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which a variable clamp is providedfor clamping a predetermined portion of said material and prevent itfrom moving while a cut portion is conveyed away from said variableclamp comprising a plurality of clamping blocks adjustable in positionacross said conveying means, whereby when a piece of material has beencut,

some or all of the remaining materials can be clamped by said blockswhile the cut piece remains unclamped and can be removed by saidconveying means.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for positivelylocating said slitting heads comprises a disc 5 mounted for rotation onthe slitting head, said disc having

1. Apparatus for conveying sheet material and for cutting rectangular areas of predetermined width and length from said material comprising: a. conveying means (14,16) for said sheet material, b. a cross-cut head having a traversing cross-cutting means (37) for cutting across the sheet material, c. at least two slitting heads having longitudinal cutting means (50) for cutting along the sheet material, d. powered means (39,51) for separately and selectively moving said cutting means into and out of cutting engagement with said material, e. powered means (44) for driving said cross-cut head across the sheet material, f. means (53,54,55) for positively locating said slitting heads at predetermined locations across the sheet, and g. cooperating detent means on said cross-cut head and said slitting heads operable to arrest the movement of said crosscut head at at least one selected position relative to said slitting heads.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said detent means comprises a retractable plunger on the slitting head and at least one recess on the cross-cut head for engaging the projected plunger.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said detent means has two recesses disposed side by side and an inclined ramp leading up to both recesses whereby said heads can be correctly positioned relative to each other regardless of the direction of travel of said cross-cut head.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which a variable clamp is provided for clamping a predetermined portion of said material and prevent it from moving while a cut portion is conveyed away from said variable clamp comprising a plurality of clamping blocks adjustable in position across said conveying means, whereby when a piece of material has been cut, some or all of the remaining materials can be clamped by said blocks while the cut piece remains unclamped and can be removed by said conveying means.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for positively locating said slitting heads comprises a disc mounted for rotation on the slitting head, said disc having thereon a pinion which meshes with a fixed transverse rack, said disc having therein a number of location apertures adapted to receive a plunger, and a plunger fixed on said slitting head and selectively operable to enter one of said apertures and prevent said disc from rotating. 